Looking at the weekends results when will the RFL learn. It's already been said on this Forum that Fev could compete with the bottom of Super League. They were obviously far too good for the Raiders and have now won all 3 games. The gate was 2,384.

By contrast London Broncos have lost all 3 games quite heavily and the gate against Wakefield was 1,887. I think that this gate in such a populated area is disgusting and the South East do not want professional Rugby League.

Totally agree.
Cannot believe that there is still a London side in SL after all these years.
The public down there obviosly aren't interested one bit.
Less than 1,900 for a home match speaks for itself.

1,887 is pretty shocking for any club at that level, but to say that the south east does not want professional rugby league is just plain wrong. To say that the south east does not want professional rugby league in Twickenham would perhaps be a more accurate description.

Twickenham is a difficult place to get to unless you are traveling from south west London (eg. Clapham, Wimbledon) or Royal Berkshire (Reading, Windsor, Bracknell). If you're from north, east or south east London it is inaccessible to the point of fans deciding not to bother. A solution would be for the club to have a home in zone 1 or 2, but that is nigh on impossible given the lack of potential venues and the prohibitive cost that such a venue would involve. I'm attending Broncos v Wigan in May and the logistics are terrible. I looked at staying somewhere at the end of the M1 to save traveling into London-proper, and from the likes of St Albans, Watford etc. It's still almost 1hr 45m journey to the Stoop on public transport.

A comparison would be Barrow playing in Kendal, the A590 being a 2 hour car journey due to traffic congestion, and fans expected to get the train, changing at Lancaster and Oxenholme. That's what they're up against, and unless they can tap into the limited market that exists in Twickenham, Richmond, Kingston etc. will always exist at the Stoop.

The public are interested - they're just not interested to the extent that they're prepared to undertake this level of travel, coupled with the marketing of London Broncos not being of sufficient quality to convince people that a two hour journey is worth it. The irony is that the club would probably be more successful fan wise if it were based in a smaller, more accessible, town on the fringes of London, such as Watford or Barnet.

I'm interested to see what sort of crowds Oxford and Hemel get this coming season. I expect that they'll be competitive withexisting Championship One clubs attendance-wise. Hemel is embedded into the community in their patch of Hertfordshire, and will now be the highest profile sports team in the town. Oxford will obviously be in the shadow of London Welsh, at least temporarily, and always in the shadow of Oxford United, but the interest is there in the city for a sustainable club that has 500 regulars.

That's not to say Fev shouldn't be in SL. Based on current performance - on and off the pitch - they are far and away the frontrunner.

disques vogue

The club where Eurovision isn't a dirty word. A waltz through the leopard skin lined world of Tom Jones, Bert Kampfert and Burt Bacharach. Step out to the sound of the happy hammond and swing to the seductive sounds of the samba.

1,887 is pretty shocking for any club at that level, but to say that the south east does not want professional rugby league is just plain wrong. To say that the south east does not want professional rugby league in Twickenham would perhaps be a more accurate description.

Twickenham is a difficult place to get to unless you are traveling from south west London (eg. Clapham, Wimbledon) or Royal Berkshire (Reading, Windsor, Bracknell). If you're from north, east or south east London it is inaccessible to the point of fans deciding not to bother.

Completely disagree with you Jonty.There's 8 million people living in London so no excuse for pathetic attendances like this.Quins average around 13,000 so how do they all get to the games ?I'm fed up with people making excuses for the Broncos. They've been carried for too long now and they are an embarrassment to the sport.

Only problem is the RFl will stick with them as more players are being produced by in the south. Personally I don't think you need a club to maintain interest in the area. Just get the game played in schools, have regular internationals and RL events in the south and people will still get involved in the game.

As long as there is London clubs in the Championships, a developing ameteur game and structures in which there is a clear route to go from playing school rugby to pro RL then there isn't need for a London SL club.

Look at Cumbria for example we don't have an SL club within an hour and abits time. Yet you still see Harrison, Mossop, Lunt, Amor ect ect playing week in week out for SL clubs and we have a lot of lads at academies which proves you don't need an SL club.

The fact is London will get similar crowds in the Championship. Except in the Championship they won't need an owner pumping in millions of pounds to pay for the squad. If London average 3k (ambitious) at £20 a head (still ambitious) over 13 games that's 780k, they are paying pretty much the full 1.65m cap, you do the maths.

If the RFL had a pair of balls they'd put London in the Championship where the support will grow as they will win games, help them out with youth development in the south and allow someone to take their place.

Only problem is the RFl will stick with them as more players are being produced by in the south. Personally I don't think you need a club to maintain interest in the area. Just get the game played in schools, have regular internationals and RL events in the south and people will still get involved in the game.

As long as there is London clubs in the Championships, a developing ameteur game and structures in which there is a clear route to go from playing school rugby to pro RL then there isn't need for a London SL club.

Look at Cumbria for example we don't have an SL club within an hour and abits time. Yet you still see Harrison, Mossop, Lunt, Amor ect ect playing week in week out for SL clubs and we have a lot of lads at academies which proves you don't need an SL club.

The fact is London will get similar crowds in the Championship. Except in the Championship they won't need an owner pumping in millions of pounds to pay for the squad. If London average 3k (ambitious) at £20 a head (still ambitious) over 13 games that's 780k, they are paying pretty much the full 1.65m cap, you do the maths.

If the RFL had a pair of balls they'd put London in the Championship where the support will grow as they will win games, help them out with youth development in the south and allow someone to take their place.

Great post. In the Championship the Broncos would be one of the bigger, more sustainable clubs. Playing at the level of Fax, Fev, Leigh etc. with a team full of Londoners could be a far better result for the game both on the pitch and off it.

Edited by Jonty, 19 February 2013 - 12:27 AM.

disques vogue

The club where Eurovision isn't a dirty word. A waltz through the leopard skin lined world of Tom Jones, Bert Kampfert and Burt Bacharach. Step out to the sound of the happy hammond and swing to the seductive sounds of the samba.

This will look like it reeks of self interest (so lets say Batley in place of Featherstone), but, I think London RL needs to take a step back and move into the Championship... as said before, itd be a sustainable growth here with 2 other London clubs.

1,887 is pretty shocking for any club at that level, but to say that the south east does not want professional rugby league is just plain wrong. To say that the south east does not want professional rugby league in Twickenham would perhaps be a more accurate description.

Twickenham is a difficult place to get to unless you are traveling from south west London (eg. Clapham, Wimbledon) or Royal Berkshire (Reading, Windsor, Bracknell). If you're from north, east or south east London it is inaccessible to the point of fans deciding not to bother. A solution would be for the club to have a home in zone 1 or 2, but that is nigh on impossible given the lack of potential venues and the prohibitive cost that such a venue would involve. I'm attending Broncos v Wigan in May and the logistics are terrible. I looked at staying somewhere at the end of the M1 to save traveling into London-proper, and from the likes of St Albans, Watford etc. It's still almost 1hr 45m journey to the Stoop on public transport.

A comparison would be Barrow playing in Kendal, the A590 being a 2 hour car journey due to traffic congestion, and fans expected to get the train, changing at Lancaster and Oxenholme. That's what they're up against, and unless they can tap into the limited market that exists in Twickenham, Richmond, Kingston etc. will always exist at the Stoop.

The public are interested - they're just not interested to the extent that they're prepared to undertake this level of travel, coupled with the marketing of London Broncos not being of sufficient quality to convince people that a two hour journey is worth it. The irony is that the club would probably be more successful fan wise if it were based in a smaller, more accessible, town on the fringes of London, such as Watford or Barnet.

I'm interested to see what sort of crowds Oxford and Hemel get this coming season. I expect that they'll be competitive withexisting Championship One clubs attendance-wise. Hemel is embedded into the community in their patch of Hertfordshire, and will now be the highest profile sports team in the town. Oxford will obviously be in the shadow of London Welsh, at least temporarily, and always in the shadow of Oxford United, but the interest is there in the city for a sustainable club that has 500 regulars.

That's not to say Fev shouldn't be in SL. Based on current performance - on and off the pitch - they are far and away the frontrunner.

Do they market the club in the few working class area's such as Clapham ? As those other area's are a bit snobby or in other words RU country, im not saying RL is just a working class sport more of a sport for the people, get them going then target the rest.

This will look like it reeks of self interest (so lets say Batley in place of Featherstone), but, I think London RL needs to take a step back and move into the Championship... as said before, itd be a sustainable growth here with 2 other London clubs.

Regular games v Skolars, Hemel, Oxford & Glous might draw more fans on a regular basis as these local rivalries grow.

The fact is whether we like it or not the RU internationals draw massive crowds although the product isn't a patch on RL (or am I biased). Compared Leeds against Melbourne to Scotland against Ireland. The RU score was 12-8 to Scotland made up of 4 penalties to Scotland and 1 try and a penalty to Ireland. I think I've got it right but I fell asleep. What a farce.

On the subject of SL gates Salford only had 1,989 yesterday but Fev was 2,319. Barrow was 3rd best gate behind Fev & Leigh..

The fact is whether we like it or not the RU internationals draw massive crowds although the product isn't a patch on RL (or am I biased). Compared Leeds against Melbourne to Scotland against Ireland. The RU score was 12-8 to Scotland made up of 4 penalties to Scotland and 1 try and a penalty to Ireland. I think I've got it right but I fell asleep. What a farce.

On the subject of SL gates Salford only had 1,989 yesterday but Fev was 2,319. Barrow was 3rd best gate behind Fev &amp; Leigh..

There's no doubt you are biased but what I wonder is, if you despise the game that much, why do you watch it?

I personally despise football, but I don't watch it so I can slag it off at every opportunity. I don't like the game (football) so I don't watch it!

I watch very little RU but sometimes just a bit to see if it improves but it never does. Can't criticize football because I never watch it. I listen to most Bluebirds games on RC though because they are my home team.
I love most sports really but look for excitement and adrenolin runs. lol